By Dan Nugent

As you might have heard, February 23 has been named a national day of resistance against gun control and civilian disarmament, a day of scheduled nation wide. Here in New Hampshire we are gathering at our state house (there’s a proposal to eliminate our “stand your ground” protections) at noon to show our support for gun rights both federally and locally . . .

Rallies can be a great way to get the message out, but it’s critical not to scare off honest folks who may be on the fence about the issues at hand. An “extreme” point of view is a tough sell to someone who may be sheepish about firearms. As correct as your view points may be, it is important to tone it down sometimes, stick to the facts and point out how “the figures don’t lie, but the liars can figure”.

I have personally “converted” many of my co-workers just by taking them out and letting them shoot. Once you get across the point that guns are not evil and that they’re frequently used for good, it opens up the doors to an educational and intelligent conversation. Most people are just misinformed. That being said, there are also the folks who have their heels dug in and there’s nothing you can really do. Sometimes it’s best to just let them go. An argument that escalates generally make the Pro-2A guy look like the “nut job” while the other comes off as a logical thinker.

Remember, the second amendment isn’t about hunting — keep your camouflage and blaze orange to a minimum (if at all). The media loves to seek out the crazies in the crowd, so keep your answers short, sweet and to the point. Check out dayofresistance.com to find your local rally. Also search on Facebook and spread the word!

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53 COMMENTS

  1. Rallies can be a great way to get the message out, but it’s critical not to scare off honest folks who may be on the fence about the issues at hand. An “extreme” point of view is a tough sell to someone who may be sheepish about firearms

    In such a opinionated country such as America, no one is on the fence. And if you are protesting then you arent resisting disarmament/gun control. Dan is just a FLAME DELETED

    • Moments in ironic self-reflection:

      “Dan is just a self aggrandizing coward who equated camouflage to craziness.”

      Says the super judgmental admitted racist internet commando.

      Dan’s just saying don’t make it easy for them to paint you with a broad stroke. That’s smart activism.

      • “Says the super judgmental admitted racist internet commando.”

        Couldn’t have stated it better myself. Friggin’ oxygen thief…

      • Saying he equated camouflage to craziness is missing the point entirely and apparently it has to be spelled out for you…

        The left has been supremely successful in dividing hunting as good and the true spirit of the Second for fringe jobs.

        Showing up to a rally in normal civvies (which most will do anyway) kills two birds with one stone. One, it shows hundreds of normal folks demanding their rights and Two it shows beyond any doubt that the people objecting to bullshit laws aren’t hunters.

        Like it or not its a PR game with the media always looking to misrepresent us and out of 1,ooo folks all they need is a half dozen dudes in full BDU’s spouting off in order to paint the other 996 folks as supposed “extremists”. It’s all a game and the deck is stacked against us media wise so either we beat them at their game or we run around with both hands on our huge “fuck everyone” hard-on thinking we’re doing our cause some good.

        • APBTFan, your last sentence was completely unnecessarily vulgar, and absolutely correct. I laughed right out loud at the sheer genius of it.

    • I think you read that too fast. Take a deep breath and try again.

      Very few people are arguing between Guns or No Guns, there are dozens of individual issues that many people don’t have a firm position on. Rallies attended by rational, polite people can help the fencestitters see our side. Camo/blaze orange is equated with hunting which is not what we base our need for the 2A on. Craziness is another dividing point often used to wedge us apart. We don’t need craziness here any more than we need it at the rallies.

    • matt,

      It looks like you missed the “tone it down” part. Please don’t be one of the crazies if the camera is pointed your way. Part of 2A advocacy is in the winning of hearts and minds. That is not done by offending people.

    • Shouldn’t waste time on a troll who can’t read, but Dan was equating camo with hunting. The 2A is not about hunting, so minimize the camo.

  3. Dan’s points are well made and should be taken to heart. The facts are important but you have to surmount people’s perceptions in order to be able to present the facts. The old rule of first impressions is still in affect. I hardly wear a shirt and tie but I did to a state presentation on the NY SAFE Act. I was one of the first called on to ask my question, than I was interviewed by a local TV station and both my question and the interview were broadcast. Maybe it was my old, fat, white man good looks or maybe it was how I presented myself that gave me the opportunity. Why not stack the odds in your favor?

  4. There is no “us” when “your” life is in danger.

    This ‘civil rights’ rubbish goes against every fiber in my body. By all means put your body where the enemy is sure to put his violence.

      • Press the digits 3 and 8 on the handset after the beep followed by the # key for FUgee translation services.

        • You lost me, friend. What does the washed up mid 90s hip-hop troupe, “Fugees” (aka Rap Translators, aka Tranzlator Service), have to do with your distain our civil rights to self defense/security?

    • This from the state that spawned a romanticized outlaw. They’ll probably create a few more with this crap.

        • Just a few cents worth…A state legislature deeming it unlawful to own anything (especially a firearm) isn’t what I call a good reason to disarm. Folks, you’re only ever as free as you act. If you’re following the “law” then that would be the Constitution as it preceeds and superceeds all of this crap. I see a lot of people out there that are waiting for the Constitution and Bill of Rights to be “upheld” by some politician or state/federal court. Except in isolated cases this won’t happen because of the risk involved. If you want the courts to stand behind us you first must adopt a firm position and voluntarily disarming doesn’t seem very firm to me. I know many of you wouldn’t consider it, but some would. this is where the rallies come in: it takes a rare person to stand alone in the face of great uncertainty and hardship, but there is safety in numbers.
          So get on out there and meet some like minded folks and take comfort in knowing that there are many people out there who will never simply obey a law such as this. We have 10,000 years of historical theory of the right to self defense on our side… it’s time we, as a people, start to act like it. Fear is what they want, courage is what they fear. Let’s give them what they fear for a change.
          One last thought: by refusing to disarm in the face of such laws we definitely run the risk of imprisonment, that’s a given. But if this trend (gun control) continues long enough history tells me that many of us will be imprisoned anyway, which means that the outcome will be the same either way. That being the case, I’d rather at least fight in any way I can rather than simply wait for my cell to become “available”.

    • Can you imagine the carnage a few of those could have done in the right hands on that particular battlefield? A few hundred fully equipped soldiers with AR’s and no ammo shortage would have ended the Redcoats ambitions within a month.

        • Similar yes, though far less effective than having AR’s a century earlier. Alot of technology was going on during the civil war with gatlins, rifled slugs, revolver pistols, way better rifles and the like. AK’s during the Civil War would still have been horrendous to the opposing side. Its really the end of the 19th century where the technology was squared away.

  7. I am going to try to make it down there. I missed the first 2 rallies in WI, so I need to get out there and be present for some other ones.

  8. Im in full support of these rallies but we need to start to get more creative in getting our message across with out sending the wrong message, one of my suggestions would be to find example of what we are fighting for in movies tv shows, something that will grab the average persons interest and at least subliminally get our point across.

    • one example that instantly comes to mind, though not the best example but and example non the less, is season 2 episode 9 of falling skies. im sure theres alot better examples but like i said this is just off the top of my head

  9. Oh yay, another rally, because those always work.

    Incredible how we post a picture of true patriots doing what true patriots should do against tyrants, but all we do with out tyrants and traitors these days is stand around and hold signs. Sad.

  11. “An argument that escalates generally make the Pro-2A guy look like the “nut job” while the other comes off as a logical thinker.”

    Speak for yourself. I have shredded the illogical and hysterical “arguments” of more anti-gun nuts than I can remember. They rarely have a single fact to bring to an argument and generally have little to no skill at rhetoric or logic. It’s like taking candy from a blind baby.

    • Unfortunately, proving to a liberal that they’re both ignorant and stupid doesn’t “win them over”. Hopefully, we can get to some people with certifiable cerebral function who are simple repeating the talking points because they don’t know any better.

      • Unfortunately they will never change cause you just cant fix stupid or insane or havent you figured that one out yet?

  12. What I do not understand is this: Bush did the same thing during his reign. He got Americans killed under false pretenses. He ignored the constitution. Did any of you complain about that? When Bush pushed The Patriot Act and signed it, did any of you protest that? Did none of you see this coming during the Bush era? Bush passed so many secret laws that were classified that members of Congress did not know what they were agreeing to. If you want to do something support the companies that are voiding any government contracts and boycott those that are selling guns and ammo to any government. Stop the insults and name calling…makes you look like cry babies/racists. And, yes…I am a gun owner and been shooting my whole life.

    • Many did complain about Bush. I absolutely agree that we need to stop talking about political parties. So let’s do that. The 2A, indeed all civil rights, transcend party.

      Could it be that many of us here make the mistake of holding our party affiliations and voting histories too dear. Heck, I voted for BHO the first time. I wanted a change after Bush. But I’ve become much more politically aware since almost every one of my hobbies from dirt biking to general aviation to firearms have suffered oppressive government meddling. I’ve become much more libertarian.

      The fact is, to an ever-increasing degree, americans are becoming fearful, cowering social invalids. That’s our real problem, either party, once in power, will be happy to oblige such constituents with the kind of oppressive legislative, regulatory, executive, and judicial crap, that we are seeing now. All sold as common sense safeguards.

      As a final note. These are serious issues we’re dealing with here, and people are seriously frustrated. You might let the occasional insult slide.

  13. Hmmm… perhaps. I have plans to be exercising my first amendment right to take pictures of naked ladies. Maybe I’ll give them a few guns to model with?

  14. It’s so odd. I’ve made my views oh so obvious on Facebook, just waiting, JUST WAITING for someone to give an opposing view point.
    Nothin. Nada. And no one. It MIGHT be because I live in Texas….

  15. Another rally another date. No I’m not going . Here in NY we’ve had at least 5 rallies in the past month. Mostly they have been poorly organized and lightly attended. There is a rally in Albany on the 28th of this month. This one has been advertised and organized by both S.C.O.P.E and NYSPRA which are the two main Pro Gun Orgs in NYS. IMHO having a bunch poorly organized rallies points out the fact we are not yet unified of purpose or message.

    • Maybe its because us fat, old white guys are taking awhile to come up to speed on all the social networking stuff. By the way history shows that only a small percentage of the total population was totally behind secession from England in the beginning. I’ve participated in all three of the rallies so far and from the sounds of it you weren’t there. Your loss. I suppose your job kept you away.

  16. I’ll be at the Milwaukee courthouse on the 23 waving my piece around,lol. I think we will have a good turnout. I hope I get a chance to talk to a few soccer mom types & try to clue them in a bit, Randy

    • We could have one on .4/5 though. Would that one be of a higher caliber than the one on .2/23? Or would it have more “stopping power” to prevent these bad laws?

      SORRY. Serious subject, and I’m telling silly jokes. (leaving, embarrassed now) … but you gotta admit, It was funny.

  20. It astounds & sends a chill down my spine me that Barack Hussein Obama garners any credibility or support (much less his ever having been elected to begin with!) given his enormous contempt & hostility towards the Constitutional principles & laws our Republic was founded upon! That’s not even mentioning the subsequent litany of betrayals & treasonous acts he has committed & flagrantly gotten away with that would have seen any ‘white’ Republican or Independent indicted & prosecuted!

    http://dcclothesline.wordpress.com/2013/02/16/ft-hood-massacre-survivors-betrayed-by-obama-too-in-his-litany-of-treacheries-that-just-goes-on-on/#more-4061

  21. I plan on going to the rally in Concord, NH with friends and family.

    I had another thought. We could also plan a 2 day rally for the 5th and 6th of May. Of course it would be almost exactly the same, just a little longer and higher pressure. Think about it.

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